Master of Science in Cyber-Physical Systems
Master of Science in Cyber-Physical Systems
Overview
The Master of Science, MS, Cyber-Physical Systems with a concentration in the Internet of Things (IoT) prepares our graduates for a world of connected devices. This innovative multidisciplinary master’s cyber physical systems degree program is designed to meet the demand for a new kind of specialist, one who can engineer and develop new interactive services; acquire, fuse, and process the data collected from sensors, actuators, controllers, and other devices; and develop architectures to interconnect these elements as part of larger, more diverse systems. It is expected that careers in this rapidly evolving area will encompass industry sectors ranging from energy, healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, to manufacturing.
Innovative Curriculum - MS in Cyber Physical Systems
The MS in Cyber-Physical Systems degree program integrates the study of wireless networking, protocols, sensor networks, security, software development, embedded systems, data analytics, and big data to provide students with the knowledge and tools to develop IoT applications, to analyze and design IoT architectures for different application domains, and to develop data analytic tools to analyze the large amounts of data generated by the massive deployment of IoT devices.
You’ll learn and develop field-wide skills in networking and communications, embedded systems, data analytics, software development, cloud and edge computing, digital twins, and management of big data. You will be prepared for a world of connected devices, with a deep understanding of IoT technologies, standards, topologies, architectures, and solutions for different domains.
You’ll be prepared for a career in the IoT industry, from building embedded IoT devices and deploying IoT networks to designing decision-making next-generation AI IoT applications. Relevant IoT initiatives, like Industrial IoT (IIoT), Smart City, Connected Health, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), and Automated Home are key focuses of this program.
The MS in Cyber-Physical Systems is available on Northeastern’s campus in Boston, MA and at the regional campus in Toronto, Canada.
Note: A subset of program courses are available at the regional campus.
Toronto, Canada Campus: This institution has been granted consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this degree program for a five-year term starting January 18, 2023. Prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (e.g., acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies or other educational institutions.)
Cyber-physical systems market will reach an estimated value of $12.3 billion by 2028 and grow at a CAGR of 10.55% in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028, according to Data Bridge Market Research. Increase in the penetration of internet acts as an essential factor driving the cyber-physical systems market.
Cyber physical systems have applications across industries such as healthcare, energy, automation, agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing, with adoption of artificial intelligence and the internet of things furthering market growth in industries.
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems.
- An ability to explain and apply engineering design principles, as appropriate to the program’s educational objectives.
- An ability to produce solutions that meet specified end-user needs with consideration of economic factors, and, where relevant, factors related to public policy, safety, and the environment.
- Strong working knowledge of the computer languages required to build IoT applications, both on IoT devices and on the network/server side.
- A comprehensive understanding of the range of wireless and application protocols that support different IoT application domains
- An ability to work in a team environment to design and develop a complete IoT application using both high-level and low-level computer languages and a range of software configuration tools.
Over 15 graduate certificates are available to provide students the opportunity to develop a specialization in an area of their choice. Certificates can be taken in addition to or in combination with a master’s degree, or provide a pathway to a master’s degree in Northeastern’s College of Engineering. Master’s programs can also be combined with a Gordon Engineering Leadership certificate. Students should consult with their faculty advisor regarding these options.
Experiential Learning
Northeastern combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and research to prepare students for real-world engineering challenges. The Cooperative Education Program, also known as a “co-op,” is one of the largest and most innovative in the world, and Northeastern is one of only a few that offers a Co-op Program for graduate students. Through this program, students gain up to eight months of professional experience employed in their field of interest as part of the academic curriculum, giving them a competitive advantage after graduation. Northeastern has over 3,000 co-op employer partners, from large companies to entrepreneurial start-ups, and dedicated co-op coordinators to guide students through the process.
Academic Advising
The Academic Advisors in the Graduate Student Services office can help answer many of your questions and assist with various concerns regarding your program and student record. Use the link below to also determine which questions can be answered by your Faculty Program Advisors and OGS Advisors.
Admissions & Aid
Ready to take the next step? Review degree requirements to see courses needed to complete this degree. Then, explore ways to fund your education. Finally, review admissions information to see our deadlines and gather the materials you need to Apply.
Student Highlights
Cyber Physical Systems Program Rounds Out Student’s Education
After working for a start-up and receiving a patent in gesture recognition technology, Pragnya Kondrakunta, MS’23, cyber physical systems, advanced her education at Northeastern. As part of the master’s program, she conducted real-world project-based coursework, selected flexible electives to map to her career goals, and gained experience on co-op as a software engineer at Lake […]
Redefining an Engineering Career with an MS in Cyber Physical Systems
Jeffrey Machyo, MS’23, cyber physical systems, decided to shift gears to the embedded systems field when he was working as an electrical engineer at an electric power company in Kenya. As an engineering student at Northeastern, he completed a co-op at Desktop Metal, which gave him hands-on experience with programable devices and set him up […]
MS in Cyber Physical Systems Student Gets Job Offers at Both Amazon and Nokia
Nitin Sunda, ME’21, cyber physical systems with the internet of things concentration, credits the skills that he learned in class with him landing a co-op at tech company Nokia. His program is at Northeastern’s Silicon Valley campus. Now he has full time job offers from Nokia and Amazon.
Cyber-Physical Systems Experience for the Connected World
Aurobindo Samantaray, ME’21, cyber-physical systems, joined the Northeastern community in January 2020. He came to Northeastern for its co-op program, bringing with him professional experience in embedded systems by working with large companies in the automotive industry—build automation. Samantaray worked on various software and products that have lifesaving capabilities such as airbags and occupant classification […]